MANAGING ICT The future of learning
This summer term, Abraham Guest High School opened
its doors to 900 students. Headteacher Roy Caslake explains their vision for anytime, anywhere learning and the work they are doing to engage students with technology
to their needs. From an interactive pod using the latest immersive
technology in the science lab and a biometric locker system for laptops, to Nintendo Wiis sunk into the gym walls, staff and students are now immersed in a technology-rich environment the moment they step foot inside the school. Entering the school’s atrium, a high-powered projector and large lcD screens adorn the walls and
O
ur schOOl’s entire school improvement plan has been centred on the learning needs of students. They use technology every day and have come to expect this as part of their learning, so we have worked to implement technologies tailored
are used to showcase the students’ work and important announcements of the day. This immediately helps prepare staff and students for the day ahead and saves considerable time and paper previously spent pinning announcements to notice boards. The screens also enable us to project video clips and animations which help to capture the students’ attention before they rush off to class.
Collaboration
Providing a learning environment which caters for every learning style and enables students to collaborate is imperative. One example of this is a new interactive pod situated in our large 1,600 square metre open-plan science area. Inspired by installations at salford university’s
Headteacher's PA of the Year Awards 2010
An opportunity to recognise and celebrate the people who are at the heart of a successful school
One of the most vital jobs performed in any secondary school is that of the PA to the headteacher.
The PA is invariably the confidante of the head and a key link with the staffroom, the governors, parents and pupils. Good PAs are an invaluable asset and few schools can operate efficiently or effectively without them.
In acknowledgement of this essential role, SecEd is proud to organise for the fifth year running, in association with UNISON, the SecEd Headteacher's PA of the Year Awards 2010, which will celebrate the achievements, commitment and success of the modern headteacher's PA.
Only PAs to the headteacher or deputy headteacher of a secondary or middle school (state, special or independent) may be entered. Nominations will only be accepted from the head or deputy head. To enter, write a statement of 500 to 700 words explaining why the nominated PA deserves the award.
Nominations should be sent to SecEd editor Pete Henshaw on the email below by no later than Monday, November 1, 2010. Full information and guidance for nominators is available upon request.
Email:
pete.henshaw@markallengroup.com
Innovationunit, the pod has been developed to capture students’ attention and engage them in science topics. high-resolution projectors display content on to the specially commissioned screen which doubles as the pod’s external wall. Designed to submerse students in multi-sensory
learning, the interior combines flight simulation technology and surround sound, enabling students to gain an immersive experience with the subject matter without outside distractions. For example, when studying the solar system
students can immerse themselves in a journey through the planets. In chemistry, students can watch molecules in 3D as they rotate to show their structure. up to six students can enter the pod at one time,
which helps to facilitate group work. The software for the pod will be continually developed by our managed service provider and the school’s e-learning content developer to help facilitate different learning outcomes and experiences. Elsewhere, our school is also working with Project Faraday to incorporate science into the building and grounds. currently, we are integrating technology to take
readings from the school’s Knowledge Garden, which sees waste products from the science blocks filtered into a tank and pumped through reed beds to create recyclable water. All of this data will be available on the school’s intranet for staff and students to interpret in class. The entire school has been built to help facilitate
collaborative learning. The large open-plan spaces, combined with technologies which can be used by groups or individuals, are helping students of all ages to mix and learn from one another. It does not matter whether a student prefers to log
on individually to the virtual learning environment, or grab a seat with their peers in the pod – as long as students are enjoying learning and progressing, that is all that we ask.
Independent learning
We believe it is vital that students leave school as confident, independent learners prepared for further and higher education or the workplace, and technology is helping to achieve this. The school is now fully wireless-enabled allowing
students to access their work via a range of fixed, mobile and handheld devices wherever they are in the building. To complement this, we have the latest virtual desktop solution which allows our students to log-on to any computer, anywhere and anytime to access the school’s full range of applications. This technology is reliable and fast which has helped to build IcT confidence in both staff and students. We are also one of the first schools in the country
to benefit from a biometric locker system for laptops which provides access to laptops whenever a student requires one. The system releases to the student whichever laptop
has the most charge and records who, when and for how long a student signs a laptop out for. In addition to enhancing the security of school equipment, the system is helping our teachers analyse the time students spend working independently.
Student engagement
We understand that students are surrounded daily by the latest consumer technologies, and now expect the same interactive learning experience they have at home in the classroom.
Hi-tech: From an interactive science pod (above) to a laptop locker system (right), Abraham Guest has embraced technology
10 SecEd • September 16 2010 Games consoles are particularly popular with our
students so Nintendo Wiis have been installed in the gym and changing rooms to provide flexibility in how students exercise. This is proving particularly popular with female
students who may not engage with traditional sports. We used the advanced video technology software Dartfish to record and analyse movement in a variety of sporting situations as students strive for success. In the humanities department, teachers are using the
latest green screen technology for student broadcasts on a variety of topical issues. students have been using it to produce broadcasts
on the election, weather and even geography projects. For instance, when reporting on south America, they have been able to project a jungle background behind them as they report. students are particularly enjoying using this
technology as it adds a new dynamic to presenting and helps to bring topics alive.
The future
student voice and their involvement in the technological plans is vital to help shape the future of the school. With this in mind, plans for the summer include a large lED display to show our new 60-year clock which will broadcast key changes at the school, from student opinion on a range of topics and issues to the dinner menu and uniform. students are currently designing the clock’s interface
to be selected by a panel of judges and implemented in the next academic year. The implementation of biometric technology is also planned to capture students’ opinions on a range of topics as they enter and leave the building, which will help shape the future of the school.
SecEd
• Roy Caslake is headteacher of Abraham Guest High School, a specialist sports and arts college in Wigan which uses managed service provider, Northgate Managed Services.
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